Bureaucratic reform is part and parcel of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's structural reform agenda. As he puts it aptly, the basic idea is to "let the private sector do what it can do." Bureaucratic reform is also about decentralization: "letting local governments do what they can do."
A bloated and inefficient bureaucracy makes it difficult to reflect the voice of the people in public policy. Therefore, constant efforts must be made to build a slim and efficient bureaucracy that is more responsive to the needs and wishes of the public. A leaner bureaucracy is also needed to establish higher levels of administrative transparency.
The government's latest plan for administrative reform, approved by the Cabinet Friday, marks another milestone on the road to small government. The new "Administrative Reform Outline" -- the first in four years -- rightly emphasizes the continued need to improve the ways of implementing administrative and fiscal policy, and to promote transparency in government.